Aquarius wrote:Oh, in my Modern Library edition of his complete poems, the same poem, "What can I do to drive away", is titled "Lines to Fanny". It's the same poem, but with a title. I'm wondering if that title comes from Keats, or if the title was added later in the edition I have for convention's sake if it isn't in your edition, Brokenlyre?

Fascinating Aquarius. This is starting to get clearer. I consulted my Penguin Classics "John Keats - Complete Poems" and in the notes section in the bask it states:

"What can I do to drive away", Dated Oct. 1819 in 1848 where it was first published (in the book by Richard Monckton Milnes).Stillinger points out that the date and Allot's title, "To Fanny" are based on Milnes' conjecture.

There is another poem "To Fanny" that begins, " Physician Nature! Let my spirit blood!" which makes it more confusing.

Malia - nice reference with the "eyelashes" line from the movie. I thought it might be from a letter of Keats - since it sounded like something he would write! Thanks!

"Come... dry your eyes, for you are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg; the clay in which the forces that shape all things leave their fingerprints most clearly. Dry your eyes... and let's go home."

Aquarius wrote:Off topic, the Grant Scott ed. of his letters that was recommended by you and others in the forum on his letters is truly fascinating. I like how he writes in his preface about how Keats could get "magnificently pissed off" and about his last days with Severn.

I'm glad you like the Grant Scott ed. of the letters, Aquarius. I think it was Saturn who first recommended it and I am so thankful he did. I love Scott's introduction! He creates a very human portait of Keats, complete with that great phrase "magnificently pissed off" He also makes mention of Keats's prejudices, showing that darker side to his personality that has the potential to easily be rubbed off with the buffing cloth of fame. We get a great sense of how he was able to accomplish so much in the face of adversity--not in some Apollonian God-like manner, but through all the ups and downs, faults and frailties, courage and determination of a fully human being. That intense *humanity* is one of the things I most love about Keats and is something that comes out so exquisitely through his letters.

Aquarius wrote:I was looking on some person's web page about her visit to Keats' grave (can't remember where I found the site) and she had photos showing a pair of cats that lived near Keats' grave site. Campion described Ben Whishaw as like a cat, and there's the Cat, Topper, Campion's own cat in the movie, and then there's Keats' poem to Mrs. Reynolds Cat. Just thought I'd point out all the cat connections. I don't know if Keats had a thing for cats, but there you go. After seeing the cat in Bright Star, I've suddenly grown a liking to them, since before I've always been more of a dog person.

Cats really do make a presence, don't they? I am a cat lover from way back (and have two of my own) so I'm already biased in that direction Hard to say if Keats was a "cat man". I know that Ben Whishaw, while seeming catlike himself, is also a lover of cats (I suppose he recognized something of himself in felines? ) I think there is also a cat that lives at or near Wentworth Place; it is a red and white stripped tabby and I have a picture of it somewhere . . .

BrokenLyre wrote:Malia - nice reference with the "eyelashes" line from the movie. I thought it might be from a letter of Keats - since it sounded like something he would write! Thanks!

Hi BrokenLyre--I think it was Aquarius who caught the eyelash reference, not me. I did find a reference in the Gittings biography to the letter that Campion pulled Keats's line about being disgusted by dandies who show their colors by the way they handle a decanter (I'm totally paraphrasing here, of course). I didn't have a chance to look up the actual letter--but I believe it was written in 1817.

One thing I enjoyed about the movie was how Campion put Keats's words (from various letters) into other people's mouths. I loved that Keats's "voice" is woven throughout the movie; it's as if his fingerprints are on everything and everyone--quietly but markedly influencing the aura of the entire movie. (The unseen hand of the "master" at work? )

Thanks Aquarius for the "eyelashes" reference in the movie and the letter it comes from. (This is what happens when I check the Keats forum at my job - I go too fast to pay close attention to the posts). As Keats would say, "I cry your mercy"

"Come... dry your eyes, for you are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg; the clay in which the forces that shape all things leave their fingerprints most clearly. Dry your eyes... and let's go home."

Aquarius wrote:I was looking on some person's web page about her visit to Keats' grave (can't remember where I found the site) and she had photos showing a pair of cats that lived near Keats' grave site. Campion described Ben Whishaw as like a cat, and there's the Cat, Topper, Campion's own cat in the movie, and then there's Keats' poem to Mrs. Reynolds Cat. Just thought I'd point out all the cat connections. I don't know if Keats had a thing for cats, but there you go. After seeing the cat in Bright Star, I've suddenly grown a liking to them, since before I've always been more of a dog person.

I'm not objective on the subject, being a cat fanatic myself, but I'd point out as evidence that Keats liked cats not only the sonnet to Mrs. Reynolds's old cat, but also the incident in which he beat up the butcher's boy who was tormenting a cat.

OK - here is some interesting piece of trivial detail from the film that comes straight from Keats' world (and his letters):

There is a scene where Keats is sitting, with blanket over his legs, and he is looking out the window at Fanny, while Charles Brown is at his desk facing the camera. For a few short seconds Brown is seen stroking a small, white feather - a quill for writing. This activity comes from a letter John wrote to Fanny in February 1820:

"I have been writing with a vile old pen the whole week, which is excessively ungallant. The fault is in the Quill: I have mended it and still it is very much incline'd to make blind es..."

Clearly Campion is following the letters very closely at this point (1820). According to my Gittings book, she has 3 quotes in the movie from these letters as well as 2 actions portrayed (Brown mending the Quill and Keats by the window watching Fanny).

I thought Charles mending the Quill as the scene opens was a very nice touch of realism. But If you blink twice - you may miss it.

"Come... dry your eyes, for you are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg; the clay in which the forces that shape all things leave their fingerprints most clearly. Dry your eyes... and let's go home."

I'm currently reading Joanna Richardson's bio of Fanny Brawne, and I noticed a coincidence or connection to Bright Star.

After Keats' death, Fanny corresponded with Keats sister, Fanny Keats for several years. It is mentioned in the bio that Fanny enlisted the help of Abbey's neighbours and acquaintances to help persuade him to allow Fanny Keats to visit her during the years that they became close. One of these acquaintances was a Mrs. Cornish. She is also mentioned in one of Fanny Brawne's letters to Fanny Keats.

Cornish is probably not that rare a name, but maybe Abbie Cornish was fated to play Fanny!

It appears to me that almost any man may like the spider spin from his own inwards his own airy citadel.

Nice investigative work, Aquarius. Another strange coincidence. Or is it?

"Come... dry your eyes, for you are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg; the clay in which the forces that shape all things leave their fingerprints most clearly. Dry your eyes... and let's go home."

Off topic, the Grant Scott ed. of his letters that was recommended by you and others in the forum on his letters is truly fascinating. I like how he writes in his preface about how Keats could get "magnificently pissed off"

I liked that too! Imagine the anger flashing in those lumnious eyes! Would you be nervous being at the receiving end of his “fiery temper” though? I wonder if Wells ( "Amena") ever got the Keats Treatment?

Really, I'm glad I discovered this forum-there's so much written about Keats, some of good quality, and some of not so good quality writing, that it's hard to know what to read. It's always good to refer to experts!

Same here! It’s a great forum. Don’t you just love his letters? I find them so interesting to read- I love reading his thoughts, ideas, worries and spiritual theories- feels very intimate.

Back on topic- I noticed the trivia things posted here. At the time I hadn’t read the letter about “the holiness of the heart’s affections” used by Ben Whishaw in the film, but at once I knew it was something John would have said/written- it just felt so powerfully Keats. I found that scene quite moving and very Keatsian.

He also makes mention of Keats's prejudices, showing that darker side to his personality that has the potential to easily be rubbed off with the buffing cloth of fame. We get a great sense of how he was able to accomplish so much in the face of adversity--not in some Apollonian God-like manner, but through all the ups and downs, faults and frailties, courage and determination of a fully human being. That intense *humanity* is one of the things I most love about Keats and is something that comes out so exquisitely through his letters.

I agree- his “frailties” and “faults” make me admire him all the more ( some of them are endearing)-and his constant striving to understand, be understood, to learn , grow, gain knowledge- I also love his spirituality, something that made him so amazing.

One thing I enjoyed about the movie was how Campion put Keats's words (from various letters) into other people's mouths. I loved that Keats's "voice" is woven throughout the movie; it's as if his fingerprints are on everything and everyone--quietly but markedly influencing the aura of the entire movie. (The unseen hand of the "master" at work? )

It does have that feel. I think he would approve of the film don’t you? It certainly was made with the utmost love and respect for him and his poems.

I'm not objective on the subject, being a cat fanatic myself, but I'd point out as evidence that Keats liked cats not only the sonnet to Mrs. Reynolds's old cat, but also the incident in which he beat up the butcher's boy who was tormenting a cat.

I think all this shows he did like cats- certainly- why beat someone up for tormenting a cat if you didn’t like them a lot? He could have just chased the butcher boy off. I think he liked dogs too as he went to the trouble of finding a good home for his sister’s spaniel. And we know he liked birds!

Cornish is probably not that rare a name, but maybe Abbie Cornish was fated to play Fanny!Nice investigative work, Aquarius. Another strange coincidence. Or is it?

Maybe!

I cannot think of any more trivia- everything I can think of has been pointed out, but when I get the DVD next year maybe I’ll spot something else. Oh except his talking about his feelings about women to Fanny ( the lines he wrote to Bailey) and them tapping on the wall ( Mrs Dilke tapped on the wall to let John know it was time for tea).

John....you did not live to see-who we are because of what you left,what it is we are in what we make of you.Peter Sanson, 1995.

"Sane I went to bed and sane I arose" - to George 1819Shame the same cannot be said for J Dog! I pity this idiot's literature/English teacher- he is probably the one who sits at the back of the class making bathroom noises.

John....you did not live to see-who we are because of what you left,what it is we are in what we make of you.Peter Sanson, 1995.